Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar violated poll code: EC

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Friday ruled that Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar, who had criticised the NYAY scheme of the Congress, has violated the model code of conduct. The poll body has expressed "displeasure" over Rajiv Kumar's remarks.

Kumar had accused the Congress of promising the moon to win elections. He had also tweeted, saying "The proposed income guarantee scheme fails the economics test, fiscal discipline test and execution test".

In another tweet, Kumar had claimed that "true to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will bust fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented."

On March 27, the poll panel had sought Kumar's response on these remarks.

The EC had felt that since Kumar is a bureaucrat, his remarks were prima facie violative of the model code.

Rajiv Kumar, on his part, had told the Election Commission that he spoke against Congress's Nyay scheme as an economist.